Alex Salmond has been left embarrassed after a government document branding fossil fuels “damaging and price-volatile” was leaked the day after he began a charm offensive aimed at North Sea oil firms.

The paper shows that privately ministers are worried about the shifting price of oil, despite publicly making optimistic claims and accusing the UK Government of “fibbing” about projections.

The timing is particularly awkward for the SNP Government. On Tuesday, the First Minister launched an oil and gas strategy in which he lavished praise on the industry and said he had no plans to put their taxes up in